steam radio

noun

Radio (sound broadcasting), considered as old-fashioned compared to television.

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Meanings

nounsteam radio (uncountable)
  1. UKinformaluncountableRadio (sound broadcasting), considered as old-fashioned compared to television.

Origin

The phrase originated in Britain when television was beginning to take over from radio and steam locomotives were giving way to diesel and electric ones.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish höyryradio
  • höyryradioinformal: sound broadcasting
Cite this entry
APA

steam radio. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/steam%20radio

MLA

“steam radio.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/steam%20radio. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “steam radio,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/steam%20radio.

Source: steam radio on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.